Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum

A catalogue of the Ashmolean’s collection of Indian art by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield (published Oxford, 1987).

Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield

Publications online: 143 objects

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Frieze fragment depicting putti holding up a garland

  • Literature notes

    To what extent Graeco-Roman motifs and architectural ornaments were borrowed in Gandhara is well illustrated by this frieze of putti holding up a garland, the principal decoration of hundreds of Roman sarcophagi. Close inspection will show that the headdress (turbans) of the putti and their heavy anklets are of Indian inspiration, as well as the flower that takes the place of the winged putto between the bird-figures themselves a reversion to western classical types, more eagle than haṃsa (goose).
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia Gandhara (place of creation)
    Date
    2nd - 4th century AD (AD 101 - 400)
    Material and technique
    grey schist
    Dimensions
    12.2 x 51.5 x 6.5 cm (height x width x depth)
    Material index
    Technique index
    formed carved,
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by Reverend J. C. Murray-Aynsley, 1911.
    Accession no.
    EAOS.4
  • Further reading

    Harle, J. C., and Andrew Topsfield, Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 1987), no. 20 on p. 16, illus. p. 16

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum by J. C. Harle and Andrew Topsfield

    Indian Art in the Ashmolean Museum

    To what extent Graeco-Roman motifs and architectural ornaments were borrowed in Gandhara is well illustrated by this frieze of putti holding up a garland, the principal decoration of hundreds of Roman sarcophagi. Close inspection will show that the headdress (turbans) of the putti and their heavy anklets are of Indian inspiration, as well as the flower that takes the place of the winged putto between the bird-figures themselves a reversion to western classical types, more eagle than haṃsa (goose).
Notice

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